Biographical Details

Born in Latakia, Syria, to George (reposed Dec 2014[1])and his wife, the future Metropolitan studied engineering at Teshreen University, graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering. He then went on to study at St John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand, Lebanon, where he graduated with a Master of Theology in 2003. In the same year, he was ordained to the diaconate, before being ordained to the priesthood and elevated to Archimandrite in 2005 by Metr Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo, and serving in that diocese as Archdiocesan Vicar until 2010.

He continued his theological education at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, attaining a Ph.D. in Theology in 2008 within the Department of Pastoral Care and Christian Ethics.

On April 21, 2010, Fr Basil arrived in Sydney, Australia, to assist in the administration of the Archdiocese[2]. Initially, he was the hierarchical assistant of Metropolitan Paul, before being assigned parish priest of St Mary's in Mount Pritchard, Sydney, in 2012. During his time there, he transformed their youth and adult education programs. He also founded St Raphael Antiochian Mission in the same year he was assigned there - this Mission was a philanthropic body serving the needs of Sydney's homeless by serving food and distributing clothing and social support each week and on major holidays.

Fr Basil had many achievements during his time as a priest of the Antiochian Archdiocese. He was a trained volunteer in palliative care, via Calvary Hospital, and continued formal training in counselling and community welfare, completing several courses through the University of Sydney's Centre for Continuing Education and through the Centre for Community Welfare Training. In November 2014, Fr Basil participated in the inaugural NSW Religious Leaders' Forum on behalf of the Archdiocese[3]. He served as chief lecturer at St Paul Theology School, and guest lectured at St Cyril's Coptic Orthodox Theological College - including delivering a presentation there entitled The Spiritual Father in the text of the Philokalia of the Holy Neptic Fathers at the 'Day of Orthodox Spirituality'. In 2016, he not only received teaching accreditation from St Andrew's Greek Orthodox Theological College, Sydney, but he also received his Australian citizenship.

On July 1, 2017, after the repose of Metr. Paul (Saliba), Fr Basil was appointed by Patriarch John X of Antioch to be the Patriarchal Vicar of the Archdiocese[4]. Then, on October 4, 2017, the Holy Synod of Antioch elected Fr Basilios to be the Metropolitan of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines[5]. He was consecrated on November 19, 2017, at Balamand, Lebanon, and was enthroned at St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Redfern (Sydney), on December 16, 2017.